Guava is a tropical fruit that grows all over the Bahamas. It is round, about the size of a tennis ball, with rough green skin and a bright pink or white inside. The flavour is sweet, floral, and a little like a cross between a strawberry and a pear. Guavas are so good to eat that birds, bats, and people all compete to find the ripe ones.
To make guava duff, a simple dough is rolled flat, spread with mashed guava fruit and sugar, then rolled up into a long log shape - a bit like a Swiss roll. This log is wrapped tightly in cloth or foil and placed into a pot of boiling water to cook, which is where the word 'duff' comes from - an old English word for a boiled pudding.
When the duff is sliced, each piece shows a beautiful swirl of pale dough and pink guava. It is served warm, drizzled with a sauce made from butter, sugar, and egg yolk that soaks into the soft pudding. Some families add a splash of rum flavouring to the sauce for extra depth.
Guava duff is not just a dessert - it is part of Bahamian culture. It appears at celebrations, festivals, and family gatherings. Many Bahamians say that eating guava duff takes them straight back to their grandmother's kitchen, whatever age they happen to be.